Circuit controller



Patented Aug. 26, 19 47 2,426,306 cntcm'r comonuzn James P. Houck, Wllkinsburg, and Dewees H.

Shall croaa, Sr., Coliingdale, Pa., assignors to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 7, 1943, Serial No. 513,258

11 Claims.

This invention relates in general to electric circuit controllers, and more specifically to a novel switch for selectively controlling a plurality of circuits.

The specific switch disclosed herein is especially designed for the control of airport runway lighting. However, it will be apparent, as the description proceeds, that the switch comprising this invention is readily adaptable to other uses where it is desired to selectively control a plurality of electric circuits.

In modern airports, each runway is provided with series lights placed along the runway, and floodlights may also be provided for each runway in a separate circuit. In controlling the illumination for landing or take-oil operations of aircraft, it is necessary to select the proper runway to be used, and to illuminate only the runway selected. Furthermore, it is highly desirable that once the lights of any particular runway have been energized, the lights or any other runway be not energized until the lights of the first runway be deenergized. One switch arrangement suitable for this purpose is disclosed in the copending application of M. J. Rube] for "Circuit controllers, Serial No. 429,763, filed February 6, 1942, and issued December 21, 1943, as Patent No. 2,337,130 assigned to the same assignee as this invention. The Rubel arrangement employs one or morev dial type switches for selecting the' particular runway to be illuminated. and one or more master switches electrically connected in circuit with the dial switch ior controlling the operation of the contactor or circult breaker which feeds the lighting circuit, with the master switches mechanically interlocked with the selector switches so that a selector switch cannot be operated unless the master switch is first actuated to open the circuit. This arrangement of a plurality of switches each having its own operating handle, requires considerable panelboard space, and, of course, requires the use of both hands of the operator in performing a switching operation.

One object of this invention is to provide a novel unitary assembly of master and selector switch contacts Of the type described, which are adapted to be actuated by a single operating handle in predetermined sequence.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel unitary assembly of a plurality of switches for actuation by a common actuating shaft.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a switch construction of the type described, novel means ior eliminating contact friction.

2 These and other objects of this invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description of preferred embodiments thereof when taken in connection with the attached drawing, in which:

Figure l is a side elevation partially in section, illustrating a control switch constructed in accordance with this invention,

Fig. 2 is an end view of the switch shown in Fig. 3 is a cross section of the switch shown in F18. 1 taken substantially on the line IIIIII thereof, and

i Fig. 4 is a side elevation view of a modified form of circuit controller.

- The switch shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is supported on three spaced supporting plates 2, 4 and 6, which are of insulating material such, for example, as flber, or a molded insulating material. The supporting plates are maintained in spaced relation with respect to each other and to a mounting panel I! by spacer tubes 8. The spacer tubes have at least the outer ends thereoi internally threaded for threaded engagement with threaded rods Ill extending through apertures suitably provided in supporting plates 4 and 5, and for receiving screws 12 for securing the switch structure to supporting panel 13, and at the other end of the switch screws l4 are threaded into the end spacer tubes for securing supporting plate 2 in operative position. While the switch construction illustrated employs spacer tubes 8 at each of the four corners of rectangular supporting plates 2, 4 and 6, it is obvious that these spacer tubes may be provided at any desired number of points about the central axis. Supporting panel l3 may be provided with a decorative or finishing cover ii to conceal mounting screws l2, if desired.

Supporting plates 2 and 4 each have a central aperture for receiving a bearing sleeve it having an enlarged head It at one end thereof, and each sleeve I6 is clamped into engagement with the supporting plate by a nut 20 threadedly mounted on the other end of the bearing sleeve. Supporting plate 6 also is provided with a central aperture for receiving a, bearing sleeve 22 having an enlarged head 23, and sleeve 22 is clamped to supporting plate 6 by nut 24 threaded on the other end of the bearing sleeve. A contact actuating shaft 26 is slidably and rotatably mounted in bearing sleeve 22 and is adapted to be coupled to a manually operable shaft 28, for example, a by an insulating coupling 30. The actuating shaft 28 may be provided with a handle 32, as shown. Contact actuating shaft 26 is provided with an enlarged head 34 having at its underside an integral depending locking pin 36 adapted to enter into any one of recesses 38 provided in the enlarged head 23 of bearing sleeve 22, for a purpose to be described. Supporting plate 6 is provided with a contact ring 40 secured to the side thereof adjacent the enlarged head 34 of the actuating shaft, and the ring may be mounted on the supporting plate by integral supporting rivets 4| extending through the plate and riveted over on the opposite side thereof. Shaft head 34 has secured thereto a resilient contact arm 42, as by screws 43, and the contact arm is reversely bent so that the end thereof provided with contact 44 extends into proximity with contact ring 40, so as to engage the contact ring in the position of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

In the structure thus far described, when the parts are positioned as shown in Fig. 1, with the actuating shafts 26 and 28 at the right so that contact 44 engages contact ring 40, it is apparent that locking pin 36 onshaft head 34 enters one of recesses 38 to prevent rotation of shafts 26 and 28. In order to separate contact 44 from contact ring 40, it is necessary to push handle 32 in a direction longitudinally of the shaft inwardly towards panel [3. This will remove locking pin 36 from the plane of recesses 38, so that when shafts 26 and 28 are at the limit of their inward movement, they are then free to rotate any desired amount on their axes. Contact 44 may be moved into engagement with contact ring 46 only at angular positions of the actuating shafts wherein locking pin 36 lines up with one of the recesses 38 in the head of bearing sleeve 22. When such alignment is obtained, the actuating shafts maybe moved outwardly, thereby permitting contact 44 to reengage contact ring 40. However, as soon as engagement of the contacts occurs, the actuating shafts will again be locked against rotational movement.

A coil compression sprin 46 is provided reacting between the head 34 of contact actuating shaft 26, and nut 20 on supporting plate 4, so as to bias shaft 26 to the right, in a direction to cause engagement; of contact 44 with contact ring 46. Consequently, when it is desired to separate contacts 44 and 46, it is necessary to push in on operating handle 32 to overcome the bias of spring 46 and to hold the handle at an inner position if it is desired to rotate the actuating shafts. After the actuating shaft has been rotated enough to bring locking pin 36 out of alignment with a recess 38, the inward force on the operating handle may be removed and rotationof the handle continued until locking pin 36 comes into alignment, with the next recess 38, whereupon the spring 46 will cause the actuating shafts to move outwardly and thus cause contact 44 to engage contact ring 40 and also automatically lock the shafts against rotation.

Each of supporting plates 2 and 4 is provided with an annular series of spaced contacts 48 which may have integral rivet extensions extending through apertures in the supporting plates to be peened over on the opposite sides of the plates to secure them in operative position. Each supporting plate is also provided with a contact actu-- a groove provided in the actuating shaft. It will thus be apparent that actuating shafts 50 while being rotatably mounted in bearing sleeves l6, are prevented from longitudinal sliding movement. The shaft 56 mounted in supporting plate 4 is provided with an extended end portion 52 which is square in cross section so as to be slidably received in a correspondingly shaped socket provided in head 34 of actuating shaft 26. Each U-shaped head 54 of the actuating shafts 58 receive at the bottom of the U portion thereof a contact supporting plate 58 which may be secured therein, as, for example, by an integral extension 68 provided within the U, which extends through an aperture in supporting plate 58, and is riveted or peened'over to secure the plate in position. A laminated contact strip 64 and backing spring 66 are secured to one end of supporting plate 58, as by a rivet 62, and extend to and beyond the other end of supporting plate 58. The laminated contact strip 64 has an angularly bent outer end which extends toward contacts 48 on supporting plate 4 so as to be successively engageable therewith upon rotation of the actuating shaft in one direction. The contact backing spring 66, which may be of any desired resilient material, is provided with a return bent portion so that the free end of the spring engages the contact strip adjacent its bent portion. Contact supporting plate 58 is provided at the end opposite rivet 62 with a guide sleeve 68 aligned with an aperture in the end of the plate, for freely receiving a detent pin 10, which is cooperable with recesses 63 formed in the head l8 of the bearing sleeve.

The contact operating shaft 50 mounted on supporting plate 2 i provided with a coupling head 12 rather than with a squared end portion, and coupling head I2 is provided with an insulating extension 14 shaped to be received in the U-shaped head 54 of the actuating shaft mounted on supporting plate 4, so as to be rotatably driven thereby,

The switches supported on supporting plates 2 and 4 may be termed selector switches, because the movable contact 64 thereof may selectively be rotated into engagement with any one of spaced contacts 48. It will be observed that when the actuating shafts 50 of these selector switches are rotated to move contact 64 from engagement with one fixed contact 48 into engagement with an adjacent contact 48, that the first thing which occur is that detent pin Ill will be forced outwardly out of the recess 69, in which it i received, onto the top of head l8 of the hearing sleeve. This moves contact 64 away from contacts 48 in a direction laterally of the plane of rotational movement, so that there is substantially no sliding frictional engagement of contact 64 and contacts 48. Upon continued rotation of the actuating shaft 50 in the same direction, detent pin 10 rides along on top of head l8 between recesses 68 and holds the free end of contact 64 spaced from the plane of contacts 48, against the bias ofspring 66. As soon as detent pin 10 becomes aligned with the next recess '69, and it will be noted that these recesses are spaced angularly the same amount as contacts 48, then it is moved into the recess by the spring action of contact 64 and its backing spring 66, and this permits the contact to move into engagement with the fixed contact 48 at that recess position. Thu when the selector switches are moved from one operative position to another, the movable switch contacts are first moved laterally of the plane of rotary movement out of engagement with the fixed contacts before any substantial rotational movement occurs, and they are released for lateral movement back towards the fixed contacts only when the next switch position i arrived at, so that substantially no sliding friction occurs between the contacts of these switches.

Since the selector switches are actuated by operating handle 32, it is obvious that they cannot be actuated until handle 32 is pushed inwardly to release locking pin 36. It will be noted that contact 44 and the movable contact of the switch mounted on supporting plate 4 are electrically connected together through the engagement of their actuating shafts 50 and 26. Accordingly, these contacts are in series so that they may be connected to a common circuit conductor. When it is desired to actuate the switch from one operative position to another and the switch handle is first pushed inwardly separating contact 44 from contact ring 40, this open thi circuit in addition to releasing the switch actuating shafts for rotational movement. With handle 32 held at an inner position, movable contact members 64 may be moved to any selected operative position with substantially no contact friction, and thereafter handle 32 may be released for outward movement to finally reclose this circuit by engagement of contact 44 with contact ring 40, and also to again lock the actuating shafts against rotational movement. It will be apparent that because rotation of the actuating shafts must be preceded and succeeded by longitudinal movement of shafts 25 and 28, that the circuit of the switch mounted on supporting plate 6, will always be interrupted before the circuits of the switches mounted on plates 2 and 4, and finally made, by contacts 44 and 40. Also, since the contact of all the switches are separated during substantially all of the rotary movement of the switch actuating shafts, it is apparent that there is substantially no contact friction in thi switch.

This particular construction is especially desirable for the control of a plurality of circuits where it is required that each circuit be deenergized before the switch may energize another circuit, as in airport runway lighting where but a single runway should be illuminated at a time. With a switch constructed in accordance with this invention, it i obvious that contacts 40 and 44 may control the main power supply circuit breaker so that power will be cut off before any change may be made to the different runways controlled by contacts 48, respectively, This gives a positive interlock between the power control switch and the runway selector switches, and also requires a sequential operation of the switches.

The switch construction illustrated in Fig. 4 is identical with that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 in most respects, differing therefrom only in that supporting plate 2 and its selector switch have been omitted, and the two switches illustrated are insulated from each other. This is accomplished by securing a disk 16 to contact actuating shaft 26 on the end thereof toward the selector switch, with the disk 16 being of any desired insulating material such, for example, as fiber or a molded insulation material. Disk 16 carries a contact ring 18 for bridging engagement with spaced contacts 8 mounted on supporting plate 6. The switch shown in Fig. 4 opcrates in the same manner as that previously described, in that longitudinal movement of the actuating shaft 23 is first required to separate contacts 13 and 30 and release the shafts for rotary movement. The switch is shown in Fig. 4 at a position wherein handle 32 has been moved inwardly to separate contacts I! and 30, and has further been rotated to bring detent 'pin 13 on top of head [8 at a position between a pair of adjacent recesses 33. It will be observed that locking pin 36 prevents outward movement of the operating handle, because it engages head 23 intermediate adjacent recesses 38, and that detent pin 10 maintains contact 64 at a position spaced laterally from fixed contacts 43. Since the operation of the switch shown in this embodiment of the invention is substantially the same as the operation described above of the switch shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 it will not be repeated.

Terminals 32 may be secured to the shaft bearings for electrically connecting the movable contacts in circuit, and terminals 84 may be provided for each of the fixed contacts to enable them to be connected in an electrical circuit. Also a terminal 86 may be provided on supporting plate 3 for the contact ring 40 of the switch shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and contact terminals 90 may be provided on this plate for the contacts in the embodiment of invention shown in Fig. 4.

From the foregoing it i apparent that the switch disclosed above provides for the operation of a plurality of sets of separable contacts from a single operating handle, so that the sets of contacts are operated in a predetermined sequence, there being positive interlocking means preventing any other sequence of operation, and the arrangement being such that there is substantially no contact friction. The switch contacts are also biased to closed circuit position and this is the position at which the contacts are locked against rotating movement.

Having described preferred embodiments of the invention in accordance with the patent statutes, it is desired that the invention be not limited to these particular embodiments, inasmuch as it will be obvious to persons skilled inthe art that many changes and modifications may be made in theseparticular embodiments without departing from the broad spirit and scope of this invention, all as defined in the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a switch construction, supporting means, a contact actuating shaft rotatably mounted on said supporting means, said shaft including a shaft portion which is longitudinally slidable with respect to said supporting means and another portion of said shaft as well as being rotatable with said shaft, movable contacts carried by said shaft portions, respectively, cooperating contact means mounted on said supporting means at points spaced along said shaft for cooperation with said movable contacts, respectively, and the movable contact carried by said one shaft portion engaging and disengaging its cooperating contact means as the result of longitudinal movement of said one shaft portion, whereas the movable contact car ried by I said other shaft portion engages and disengages its cooperating contact means as the result of rotary movement of said shaft.

2. In a switch construction, supporting means, a contact actuating shaft rotatably mounted on said supporting means, said shaft including a shaft portion which is longitudinally slidable with respect to said supporting means and another portion of said shaft, movable contacts carried by said shaft portions, respectively, cooperating contact means mounted on said supporting means at points spaced along said shaft for cooperation with said movable contacts, respectively, the movable contact carried by said one shaft portion engaging and disengaging its cooperating contact means as the result of longitudinal movement of said one shaft portion, whereas the movable contact carried by said other shaft portion engages and disengages its cooperating contact means as the result of rotary movement of said shaft, and means preventing rotation of said shaft unless said one shaft part has been moved in a direction to separate the contacts controlled thereby.

3. In a switch construction, supporting means, a contact actuating shaft rotatably mounted on said supporting means, said shaft including a shaft portion which is longitudinally slidable with respect to said supporting means and another portion of said shaftas well as being rotatable with said shaft, movable contacts carried by said shaft portions, respectively, cooperating contact means mounted on said supporting means at points spaced along said shaft for 00- operation with said movable contacts, respectively, the movable contact carried by said one shaft portion engaging and disengaging its cooperating contact means as the result of longitudinal movement of said one shaft portion, whereas the movable contact carried by said other shaft portion engages and disengages its cooperating contact means as the result of rotary movement of said shaft, and resilient means biasing said one shaft part longitudinally in a direction to cause engagement of the contacts controlled thereby.

4. In a switch construction, supporting means, a contact actuating shaft rotatably mounted on said supporting means, said shaft including a shaft portion which is longitudinally slidable with respect to said supporting means and another portion of said shaft, movable contacts carried by said shaft portions, respectively, cooperating contact means mounted on said supporting means at points spaced along said shaft for cooperation with said movable contacts, respectively, the movable contact carried by said one shaft portion engaging and disengaging its (:0- operating contact means as the result of longitudinal movement of said one shaft portion, whereas the movable contact carried by said other shaft portion engages and disengages its cooperating contact means as the result of rotary movement of said shaft, resilient means biasing said one shaft part longitudinally in a direction to cause engagement of the contacts controlled thereby, and means preventing rotation of said shaft unless said one shaft part has been moved in a direction to separate the contacts controlled thereby.

5. In a switch construction, supporting means, a contact actuating shaft rotatably mounted on said supporting means, said shaft including a shaft portion which is longitudinally slidable with respect to said supporting means and another portion of said shaft, movable contacts carried by said shaft portions, respectively, cooperating contact means mounted on said supporting means at points spaced along said shaft for cooperation with said movable contacts, respectively, the movable contact carried by said one shaft portion engaging and disengaging its cooperating contact means as the result of longitudinal movement of said one shaft portion, whereas the movable contact carried by said other shaft portion engages and disengages its cooperating contact means as the result of rotary movement of said shaft, and means for eliminating contact friction of said rotary contact comprising means for separating said contacts laterally of the direction of rotary movement in response to rotary movement of said shaft.

6. In a switch'construction, supporting means, a contact actuating shaft rotatably mounted on said supporting means, said shaft including a shaft portion which is longtiudinally slidable with respect to said supporting means and another portion of said shaft, movable contacts carried by said shaft portions, respectively, cooperating contact means mounted on said supporting means at points spaced along said shaft for cooperation with said movable contacts, respectively, the movable contact carried by said one shaft portion engaging and disengaging its cooperating contact means a the result of longitudinal movement of saidone shaft portion, the other of said cooperating contact means comprising a plurality of stationary contact circularly spaced about said shaft so as to be successively engaged by the movable contact carried by said other shaft portion upon rotation of said shaft in one direction, and cooperating detent means on said other shaft portion and supporting means for defining operative positions of said switch corresponding to the angular spacing of said circularly spaced contacts.

7. In a switch construction, supporting means, a contact actuating shaft rotatably mounted on said supporting means, said shaft including a shaft portion which is longitudinally slidable with respect to said supporting means and another portion of said shaft, movable contacts carried by said shaft portions, respectively, cooperating contact means mounted on said supporting means at points spaced along said shaft for cooperation with said movable contacts, respectively, the movable contact carried by said one shaft portion engaging and disengaging its cooperating contact means as the result of longitudinal movement of said one shaft portion, the other of said cooperating contact means comprising a plurality of stationary contacts circularly spaced about said shaft so as to be successively engaged by the movable contact carried by said other shaft portion upon rotation of said shaft in one direction, cooperating detent means on said other shaft portion and supporting means for defining operative positions of said switch corresponding to the angular spacing of said circularly spaced contacts, and said detent means having a part actuated in response to rotary movement of said shaft to separate said circularly spaced contacts and the movable contact cooperating therewith in a direction laterally of the plane of rotary movement prior to any substantial amount of rotary shaft movement from one operative position to another.

8. In a switch construction, supporting means, a contact actuating shaft rotatably mounted on said supporting means, said shaft including a shaft portion which is longitudinally slidable with respect to said supporting means and another portion of said shaft, movable contacts carried by said shaft portions, respectively, cooperating contact means mounted on said supportin means at points spaced along said shaft for cooperation with said movable contacts, respectively, the movable contact carried by said one shaft portion ensaid one shaft portion, the other of said cooperating contact means comprising a plurality of stationary contacts circularly spaced about said shaft so as to be successively engaged by the movable contact carried by said other shaft portion upon rotation of said shaft in one direction, cooperating detent means on said other shaft portion and supporting means for defining operative positions of said switch corresponding to the angular spacing of said circularly spaced contacts, said detent means having a part actuated in response to rotary movement of said shaft to sen-- parate said circularly spaced contacts and the movable contact cooperating therewith in a direction laterally of the plane of rotary movement prior to any substantial amount of rotary shaft movement from one operative position to another, and means preventing rotation of said shaft unless said one shaft part has been moved in a direction to separate the contacts controlled thereby.

9. In a switch construction, supporting means, a contact actuating shaft rotatably mounted on said supporting means, said shaft including a shaft portion which is longitudinally slidable with respect to said supporting means and another p rtion of said shaft as well as being rotatable with said shaft, movable contacts carried by said shaft portions, respectively, cooperating contact means mounted on said supporting means at points spaced along said shaft for cooperation with said movable contacts, respectively, the movable contact carried by said one shaft portion enga ing and disenga ing its p ating contact means as the result of longitudinal movement of said one shaft portion, whereas the movable contact carried by said other shaft portion engages and disengages its cooperating contact means as the result of rotary movement of said shaft, means preventing rotation of said shaft unless said oneshaftparthasbeenmovedin adirection to separate the contacts controlled thereby, and said movable contacts being electrically connected together so that the circuit through said sets of contacts is always opened by said longitudinally movable contact to thereby relieve the other contacts from arcing.

10. In a switch construction. supporting means, a contact actuating shaft rotatably mounted on said supportin means, said shaft including a shaft portion which is longitudinally slidable with respect to said supporting means and another poreach of said plates for cooperation with said movable contacts, respectively, and the movable contact carried by said one shaft portion engaging and disengaging its cooperating contact means as the result of longitudinal movement of said one shaft portion, whereas the movable contact carried by said other shaft porti n e s a engages its cooperating contact means as the result of rotary movement of said shaft.

11. In a switch construction, supporting means, a contact actuating shaft rotatably mounted on said supporting means, said shaft including a shaft portion which in longitudinally slidable with respect to said supporting means and another portion of said shaft as well as being rotatable with said shaft, movable contacts carried by said shaft portions, respectively, cooperating contact means mounted on said supporting means at points spaced along said shaft for cooperation with said movable contacts, respectively, the movable contact carried by said one shaft portion engaging and disengaging its cooperating contact means as the result of longitudinal movement of said one shaft portion, whereas the movable contact carried by said other shaft portion engages and disengages its cooperating contact means as the result of rotary movement of said shaft, and means insulating said spaced contacts and contact means.

\ JAMES P. HOUCK.

DEWEES H. SHALICROSS, 8a.

BH'EIINCESCITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

